I believe in innovation--in business and community--in word and in deed. So when we were planning our annual meeting of managers from around the globe, I selected Detroit. Why? Not only is It the home of the big three automakers (our clients over the past 12 years), but it is now once again the home of American innovation. Our managers gathered together there, talked about interfacing with people around the world – and assembled bicycles as their teambuilding activity. 90 youngsters from the Boys and Girls Club took home brand new bicycles that day. And the teams that built them saw firsthand how their efforts made a difference. We redefined teambuilding from an exercise to an opportunity.

The world is changing. American companies are awakening to the realization that they can’t wait for things to get back to the way they were. They won’t. They either adapt or get replaced. That’s how GM turned things around: by accepting change, embracing innovation, and learning how to compete more effectively around the globe. That’s American resilience and innovation at work.

I care about innovation and its importance to American business and communities. My wife and I fund the USC Marshall Center for Global Innovation for that reason. We believe that our greatest competitive advantage in the United States is new ideas. When you think you’re really good, that’s the death knell.

That’s something I learned at Marshall as a student, and now support through the Center for Global Innovation. If you get involved with Marshall, you understand quickly that Marshall makes a big difference in our world. When you support Marshall, you are helping the leaders of tomorrow learn how to be great innovators. Think of it as assembling a bicycle that you can give to a young person, who will ride it off into the future, helping to make the world a better place.